Morocco is a pluralistic democracy: Article 3 of the 1996 Constitution stipulates that « Political parties, unions, district councils and trade chambers shall participate in the organisation and representation of the citizens. There shall be no one-party system”. Morocco's political scenery counts several political parties and trade unions. Today Morocco counts 26 political parties of all tendencies: right-wing, center, left-wing, in addition to the Islamist parties.

A period of sixty years separates some old parties from those which were formed later. This applies to the Moroccan Communist Party (PCM) founded in 1943, the Istiqlal Party (PI) created in 1944 and the Democratic Party for Independence (PDI) appeared in 1946.

These two parties stemmed From the Committee of National Action, founded in the 1930s by the Moroccan nationalists to counter the Berber Dahir and present claims of political and social reforms to the French authorities of the Protectorate

For its part, the evolution of the PCM witnessed many ups and downs. Banned in 1952, it reappeared in 1969 under the name of the Party for the Socialist Liberation (PLS) before the legalization of the party in 1974 under the name of the Party of Progress and Socialism (PPS).

Between 1956 and 1999, twelve parties were born, namely the Popular Movement (MP) created in 1956, the front of Independence and Choura (FDIC), in 1963, the Constitutional and Democratic Popular Movement (MPDC), in 1967. The later became Party of Justice and Development (PJD).

Three new parties will be founded at the time of the Green March: the Party of Action (PA) in 1974, the Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP) in 1975, which broke away from the National Union of Popular Forces UNFP founded in 1959 following a scission within the (PI), in addition to the National Rally of Independents (RNI) in 1978.

Three new political parties were added to the Moroccan political scenery during the following decade: the National Democrat Party (PND) in 1981, the Constitutional Union (UC) in 1983, and the Social Center Party (PCS) in 1984.

Five other parties were formed in the nineties: the Avant Garde Social Democratic Party (PADS), founded in 1991 at the time of the creation of the National popular Movement (MNP), the Social Democrat Mouvement (MDS), the Socialist Democratic Party (PSD) in 1996, as well as the Front of Democratic Forces (FFD) in 1997.

As for the “parties of the new millennium”, four were set up in 2001: the Democratic Union the Citizens' Forces Party (PFC), the National Ittihadi Congress (CNI) and the Reform and Development Party (PRD).

Six other parties were created in 2002: the Alliance of Liberties (ADL), the Party of Citizen Initiative for Development (ICD), the Party of Renewal and Equity (PRE), Al Ahd Party, the Environment and Development Party (PED) and the Moroccan Liberal Party (PML).

The last party to be founded is the Leftist Unified Socialist Party (PGSU), following a fusion between the Organization of Democratic and Popular Action (OADP), the Movement of Independent Democrats (MDI) and the Movement for Democracy (MPD).

In 2005, the popular bloc was reunified under one political party: the Popular Alliance.

During the last legislative elections held in November 1997, only sixteen parties were in contention; all of which, except the MPD, won seats in the House of Representatives. The number of seats varied between 1 for the Democratic Party for Independence with 57 seats against 57 for the USFP.

Seven among these parties, still in contention for the present legislative elections, constitute the present governmental coalition: the USFP, the PI, the PPS, the RNI, the MNP, the PSD and the FFD.